Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an operating member and, in particular, to a clutch operating member of a dual-bearing reel that is provided to the rear of a reel body of a dual-bearing reel that delivers a fishing line forward and that is for returning a clutch mechanism from a clutch-off state to a clutch-on state.
Background Information
A conventionally known example of a reel body of a dual-bearing reel has a clutch operating member in the rear for operating a clutch mechanism. A conventionally known example of such a clutch operating member has first and a second operating units for clutch-on operations and a third operating unit for clutch-off operations (refer to, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,963,279). A conventional clutch operating member comprises a first operating unit and a second operating unit for moving the clutch mechanism into the clutch-on state. The first operating unit and the second operating unit are curved at an interval at both ends of the outer peripheral side of a spool. The first operating unit and the second operating unit are coupled by a third operating unit for clutch-off operation. Therefore, the third operating unit is generally formed into a U-shape in the clutch operating member. In a conventional clutch operating member for a dual-bearing reel, thumbing can be done by putting the tip of the thumb of the hand that is gripping the reel in contact with a flange, and the clutch-on operation can be completed by pressing at least either the first operating unit or the second operating unit with the tip of the thumb.
In a conventional clutch operating member, the tip of the thumb can reach the flange of the spool when thumbing by sliding a part that is curved and connected to either the first or the second operating unit.
However, in a conventional clutch operating member, sliding the finger from the part that is curved and connected to either the first operating unit or the second operating unit again is necessary in order to perform thumbing. Consequently, instantaneously performing a clutch return operation for returning the clutch operating member to the clutch-on position is difficult.
The object of the present invention is to provide a clutch operating member that is able to perform a clutch-on operation instantaneously, even during a thumbing operation.